First, You Must Listen
Blind obedience is not a virtue in Judaism. God wants us to understand the laws He has commanded us
The Fewest Of All Peoples
Israel shows the world that a people does not have to be large in order to be great.
Moses: Leading And Teaching
When someone exercises power over us, they diminish us; when someone teaches us, they help us grow.
Leadership In Time Of Crisis
Ours is a small and intensely vulnerable people. Inspired, we rise to greatness. Uninspired, we fall
Prescriptions For Conflict Resolution
The negotiation between Moses and the tribes of Reuven and Gad is a model of conflict resolution.
‘Be Not Afraid Of Greatness’
God’s “name” is therefore His standing in the world. Do people acknowledge Him, respect Him, honor Him?
Followership
The very act of learning in rabbinic Judaism is conceived as active debate, a kind of gladiatorial contest of the mind.
To Ask Is To Grow
In Judaism, to be without questions is a sign not of faith, but of lack of depth.
Sprints And Marathons
You perpetuate a transformative event by turning it into a ritual.
Leading Well Begets Greatness
There is much in this episode that is hard to understand, much that has to do with the concept of holiness and the powerful energies it released that, like nuclear power today, could be deadly dangerous if not properly used. But there is also a more human story about two approaches to leadership that still resonates with us today.
The Sins of a Leader
Nasi is the generic word for a leader: a ruler, king, judge, elder, or prince. Usually it refers to the holder of political power.
Celebrating by Walking Tall
The account of the construction of the Tabernacle in Vayakhel-Pekudei is built around the number seven.
Creating a Team that Builds
Vayakhel is Moses’ response to the wild abandon of the crowd that gathered around Aaron and made the golden calf.
Restoring Order and Maintaining Peace
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you fail. Such is life.
The Counterpoint of Leadership
In Judaism, monarchy had little or no religious function.
The Home We Build Together
So long as every crisis was dealt with by Moses and miracles, the Israelite default response was complaint.
Vision and Details
Two laws have to do with the Israelites’ experience of being an oppressed minority:
The Politics of Revelation
Only in Judaism was God’s self-disclosure not to an individual or a group (the elders) but to an entire nation.
Looking Up
A fundamental principle of leadership is being taught here.
Education: the Key to Success
Moses did not speak about today or tomorrow. He spoke about the distant future.
